Folding leg structure for articles of furniture



1952 c. SCHNEIDER 2,615,502

FOLDING LEG STRUCTURE FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURE Filed June 9, 1950INVENTOR. 62/494155 $CH/VE/DEE,

Arrow/5y.

Patented Oct. 28, 1 952 FOLDING LEG STRUCTURE FOR ARTICLES OF FURNITURECharles Schneider, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 9, 1950, Serial No. 167,043

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-165) This invention relates to an improved furniturconstruction. In particular, this invention re- ..lates to an automatic,collapsible and extensible self-actuating supporting device for use withan auxiliary article of furniture which is arranged to be swung from aconcealed position within an associated article of furniture intoextended relation therewith to provide a leg rest, such as an ottoman,with respect to a chair.

Prior devices include various supporting assemblies for positioning sucha concealed auxiliary article for furniture into useable relationshipwith a chair or davenport. The construction of these prior devicesusually included diagonal braces extending from an intermediate portionof a vertical leg to the frame of the auxiliary article of furniture.Unless these braces were carefully installed and properly aligned,collapsing and extension of the device was diflicult. After use,looseness and play developed in the assembly of the priordevices,.producing a feeling of insecurity and annoyance in a user ofthe furniture because of the unsteadiness of the auxiliary article offurniture.

It is to be noted that in the device or hardware for use in furnitureconstruction and forming the subject matter of this application, a beamis provided which cooperates with a folding leg in such manner as toprovide support for the auxiliary upholstered section in a desired planein suitable proximity to the other portions of the article of furniture,the sections being firmly held in desired operative relation until suchtime as they are purposely folded into a more compact form wherein theauxiliary section is concealed within the main portion of the article offurniture.

The primary object of this invention is to design and provide animproved construction for a supporting device capable of being used withan auxiliary article of furniture (such as an upholstered ottoman,section of mattress, etc); to foldably associate said auxiliary articlewith another article of furniture wherein the supporting device isprovided with both lateral and longitudinal stability.

An object of this invention is to design and provide a supporting devicefor use in furniture construction wherein a supporting leg is smoothlyoperable into collapsed or extended relation by automatic means.

Another object of this invention is to design and provide a supportingdevice for use in furniture construction of the type described abovewherein spaced pivotal connections are provided between a supporting legand supported beam member whereby lateral movement of the leg withrespect to the member is virtually eliminated.

Generally speaking, this invention comprises an improved supportingdevice for use in furni ture construction, as above described, wherein abeam member of U section is adapted to be secured to a frame of anauxiliary article of furniture and a leg of U section is provided withspaced pivotal connections to said member to afford lateral stability.Likewise, the member is provided withv spaced pivotal connections toaplate member which is adapted to be secured to the article of furnitureto which the auxiliary article is connected and within which theauxiliary article of furniture may be concealed.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparentfrom a consideration of the description and drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a furniture construction embodyingthis invention and shown in extended relation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view taken from the plane indicated byline II-'-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view partly in section of theconstruction embodying this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken ina vertical planeindicated by line IV--IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating associated articles offurniture in partially folded relation.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the associated articles offurniture in completed folded relation and ready for concealment in oneof the articles of furniture.

Referring to the drawings, an article of furni-' ture, such as anupholstered chair, generally in-' dicated at I 0, may comprise a backmember I l and a main seat cushion l2 supported on a hollow box-likecompartment I3 formed in any suitable manner as part of a chair frame.Compartment I3 may be defined by a bottom wall I4 and upstandingvertical side and end walls I5. The

furniture generally indicated at I 1, said ottoman including anupholstered cushion 18 carried on a rectangular wooden frame I9.

In extended relation (Fig. 1), ottoman I1 is supported by aself-actuating, supporting device along longitudinal edges of web 22-arespaced longitudinally extending depending flanges -23 forming with theweb a rigid, strong memberrob generally U-shaped cross-section.

A vertical supporting leg 24 may also be formed of U cross-section andincludes spaced wallsifi joined by a transverse wall 26. Upper ends ofwalls 25 are pivotally connected to the ,outer ends of flanges 23 by asuitable pinor rivet bolt 2?. It should be noted that end portions ofwalls 25' enclose or overlap adjacent outer end portions of flanges -23and that spaced aligned pivotal conneetions 28 areprovidedthrough' saidend portionsu The-overlapping arrangement of the end portions-of walls25n-and flanges 23 provide large bearing-surfaces 29 of generallyrectangular shapewhen the-leg :24-is in extended relation; End-edgesof-fianges 23 and of web- 22 "are provided 'along-lines perpendicular tothe axis ofmember 2I andlie in the same plane. The endedges otfianges23; when the device is in extended relation; abut the inner face-of'wall'26 and the end edge of web-22 =abuts the top-edgemargin of wall28: Such anarrangement provides a a 4 pivotal mounting having greatlateral and-:longitudinal stability because of the large bearing areasand theabutment of edgesof saidmember 2i with the transversewebof-theleg, and movement or play of leg-24 =with respect-to member. .isvirtually eliminatedwheninex-- tended. relation.

The opposite bottom endoi leg may beprovidedwwith a suitable convex boss-3Ileadapted-'to: restupon a supporting surface without marring. Boss 30mayabe integral with wall 26 and spaced from walls 25 to permitreception of the boss between flanges 23zwhen the leg is collapsed.

Ayflat plate member 3l ofgenerally rectangular shape isgprovided witha-pair of spaced depending :ears- :32-1receiving therebetween the innerend portion of member 2i. A pin or bolt 33 pivotally connects -theinner, endportions of flanges 23 and :ears32 and: provides spacedpivotal connecv none-J34" Each= pivotal connection: ,34; includes 1enlarged contact surfaces between inner endv portionsofflanges 23andgdepending'ears\32.: A laterallyistable pivotal mounting is thusafforded.

Plate-emembertl is adaptedqto be secured by suitable :wood screws toawooden' frame of the: ma seat, cushion I2 for pivotally connecting the;maimseat cushion-and the ottoman l l.

A: self eQQtllfl-tll'lg operating rodor arm 35 is provided: for qautomatically i moving leg '24 i into collapsed assembled relation withbeam member 7 21 :when the'ottoman is moved into; folded as sembledrelation with the main seat cushion-I2;

35 extends-along member 2iina;paral-lel vertical plane and in diagonalrelation-to member 21. The outer end of ;rod 35 115pivotallylconnectedfat :35, abov sands sht y nwa lyoi p v:

otal connections 28, to. an upstanding extension 31 formedintegrally,with the innerwall 25-;of leg 24-, At its gop osite rend. rodpirot lly;

' downward movement of pivotal connections 34.

connected at 38, rearwardly and slightly below pivotal connections 34,to a depending flange 39 integrally formed with the inner edge of plate3|. Flange 39 merges with and lies in the same plane as the inner ear 32and lies virtually in the same plane as extension 3'1.

When the member 2| and the plate member 3| arerin extended horiaontalposition, a slight gap is provided between the rear edge of wall 22 onmember 2! and plate 3|. When member 2| is moved slightly upwardly beyonda horizontal relationship with plate member 3!, the inner edge :oftopweb-lzpmay abut the adjacent opposing edge of plate member 3|. Thesupporting leg assemblyvisthus positively locked againstTot-moveuottoinan I! from extended position as indicated in Fig. 1 to acollapsed and concealed position within compartment 13, a force may besuitably applied to ottoman I! so as to raise or elevatepivotal'connections-fi l of the ottomanto the main seat cushion 1 2whileswinging the ottoman toward-'-the --eushion JZJ- The main seatcushion V I2 may pivotabout hinge point 18;- The I swinging movementofmember 2 1- towardplate- 3 I= causes the operating arm- 35 to exert aturning force about :pivotalconnections 28 through its pivotalconnection, 36 -=to leg-24-, causing leg 24 to swing inwardlytowardmemberZI. Fig. 5 illustratesapproximately a-half-way position ofottoman=:Il and 'seat cushion 1-I2 IshoWingJeg Z t in approximatelyhalf-way folded relationship with member 2 I 11 As the ottoman-Ii isfurther-swung toward the bottom ofucushion I2,- leg 24 receivesadjacenti portions oi flanges 23 of. member :2 t when; .the ottoman --is:iniinal and in completed foldediirelation withrirespentto-seat cushionI21. Fig; fi-illustrates iottomanvl l andthe seat cushion I2 "lying-inparallel 'relationshi-p with the legals-i sembly completelyocollapsedand-with the ottomanaread-y :to *berswung :about hinge connection I 6into. compartment 1 3.:

To movez-ottomanr ,I 1* from its. concealed position in compartment I3to fully extended ire-z lation; the above-described operation, isreversed. Asthe ,zSEfit 'cushionvl 2 .15 swung about its pivotalmountingtand ottoman I I swung outwardly about its1piv0tal:mounting:withrespect to the seat cushion,operating;1rodr35tcausesleg 24to move into (perpendicular locked. relationship with: the

member 12! when inofull extendedxrelation.

While the plate member :3 l: and-beam, member 2 I- have beenaillustratedzas havin a pivotal connection 34 immediatelyv adj acent;the forward edge =margin; ,of seat "cushion: I2 it. :is understoodthatthe supporting-legassemblymaybe moved= rear wardly if -'sovdesired.Normally theottoman I! is prpvided withvawfringe ,for concealing theee-as e b y:

Itshould be particularly ,noted that each supe porting gdevioe includes.;a rigid "beam member and-1 legcofwzu; section; Whengextended, lateralplay.

instabilitm; or: -uns teadiness between member--21 r and leg 24 is;virtually eliminated because of spaced pivotal connections 28 andtherelatively large contact 1 suriaces betweenpend portions. .of

flanges/23 and -walls; j25;= Thevleg ZQds-rigidly-and positivelyvheldagainst turning about .the pivotal connections 2 8 beyond perpendicularrelation .by-i abutment of end edges of flanges 23 againstithetransverse connectingwall. 26..

It should be-particularlynoted; that eachusupe W porting deviceflfl doesnot, employ side or front.

iasqnell rac a achevi eis c ab b Aing smoothlypperatedwhenxmovingltheJottoman into either collapsed or extended relation witha seat cushion I2. The construction of the supporting device is not onlyexceptionally strong but is capable of collapsing into a compactassembly occupying a minimum of space.

Other changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appendedclaims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described for use in furniture constructionin combination: a beam member of U cross-section adapted to be securedto an article of furniture with legs of the U section in dependingrelation when the device is extended; a plate member adapted to besecured to another article of furniture and having spaced dependingelements receiving therebetween one end of the beam member; a leg of Usection receiving the other end portion of the beam member; spacedpivotal connections between the beam member and leg and between the beammember and plate member; an extension integral with said leg andextending beyond the spaced pivotal connections between the leg and beammember; a depending Wall on the plate member lyin in the same plane assaid extension; and an operating rod pivotally connected to theextension and to the wall of the plate member; end edges of the flangesof said beam member being arranged to abut the adjacent end portion ofthe web of said leg when said leg is in extended perpendicularrelationship to said beam member.

2. A self-actuating supporting device for use in furniture constructionincluding: a rigid beam member having a web and spaced longitudinallyextending depending flanges; a rigid leg compris ing spaced side wallsand a transverse connecting wall, the side walls at one end of said legoverlapping adjacent portions of the depending flanges of said beammember and having aligned pivotal connections with the adjacent endportions of said flanges; a plate member having a pair of depending earsproviding spaced pivotal connections to opposite end portions of saidflanges; an upstanding extension on one wall of the leg, a dependingwall on the plate member merging with one of said ears; an operating armpivotally mounted at one end to the extension above said spaced pivotalconnections of the leg to the beam member and pivotally mounted at itsopposite end to the depending Wall of the plate member normally behindthe spaced pivotal connections of the plate member to the beam memberwhen the le is in extended relation; the end edges of the flanges on thebeam member adjacent'the leg abutting the transverse connecting Wall onthe leg when the device is in extended relation.

3. Adevice of the character described for use in furniture constructionin combination: a beam member of U cross-section including a, web anddepending flanges and adapted to be secured to an article of furniturewith the flanges in depending relation when the device is extended; aplate member adapted to be secured to-another article of furniture andhaving spaced depending elements receiving therebetween one end of thebeam member; a leg of U section including rearwardly extending spacedside walls and a transverse connecting wall and receiving the other endportion of the beam member; spaced pivotal connections between the beammember and leg and between the beam member and plate member; anextension integral with one side wall of said leg; a depending wall onthe plate member lying in the same plane as said extension; an operatingrod pivotally connected to the extension and to the depending wall ofthe plate member; and end edges formed onthe flanges and web of the beammember in perpendicular relation to the axis of the beam member andarranged to abut the adjacent portion of the transverse wall on said legwhen said leg is in extended relation to hold said leg in perpendicularrelation. 1

CHARLES SCHNEIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb er

